Whether or not you are a fan of the character of Spider-Man or not, it is without question that he is one of the most iconic superheroes ever written or put to screen. That being said, there have been so many iterations up until now, that one day people will begin to forget about some of the best versions of the character from the past. With the most recent live-action adaptation of the character in this years Captain America: Civil War, fans around the world flocked to the theatre and raved to their friends and the internet community about how spot-on the casting and portrayal of the web-slinger was. What people are not realizing is the fact that the other actors may be left in the dust.

‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ (2012)

The Reason Andrew (Sadly) May Be Forgotten

Back in 2012, when the release of The Amazing Spider-Man occurred, it was a mixed bag for both critics and fans. While I found myself taking a strong liking to Andrew Garfield’s portrayal of the title character, both in and out of the costume, at least he was not overshadowing the performance of Tobey Maguire in all three of his outings, respectfully. That being said, due to the fact that he did not win many fans over in thinking his two films were better than the Sam Raimi trilogy that finished in 2007, it is inevitable that he is most likely to be the most forgotten of the two.

‘Captain America: Civil War’ (2016)

When Spider-Man appeared in this years most recent Marvel Cinematic Universe film, fans stood up and cheered at how awesome and hilarious they were able to pull off the character. With the first appearance of Tom Holland as Spider-Man (which is only about 20 minutes or less), fans were already demanding more. When The Amazing Spider-Man was released, people seemed to just accept the change from Maguire to Garfield, but still needed a little bit more oomph. Say what you will about Garfield’s second instalment, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, but his performance was great and his quips were more suited to the character of Peter Parker than Maguire’s were. Sadly, Andrew Garfield is the single best part about his two films, while the performances were fantastic all around in Maguire’s. They also helped bring back superhero films to where they stand today, while Garfield’s were simply filler for the eventual feast, which is sad to say the least.

‘Spider-Man’ (2002)

How the Impact is Less for Tobey

Being at the helm of the first big screen live-action adaptation of the character back in 2002, people began to accept superhero movies on a more serious level, even though there were admittedly some insanely campy moments. Tobey Maguire brought the necessary nerd-esque charisma to the title character, becoming more and more confident as the film progressed. While I believe Andrew Garfield to be the better actor overall, it ultimately comes down to who suited the part better, and I believe it to be Tobey Maguire.

Making almost double at the box office as opposed to Andrew Garfield’s films, the fans seemed to respond much better to Ramie’s trilogy, but back then there were far less superhero blockbusters as well, so I am sure that helped. Solely due to the fact that Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, and Spider-Man 3 brought a new style of entertainment to the cinemas, I believe Maguire will be the most regarded as the character to average moviegoers, while Tom Holland will probably end up being the fan favourite in years to come. Maguire’s franchise will suffer the least out of the two.

‘Spider-Man’ (2002)

The Romance Factor

While most moviegoers did not flock to the theatres to watch a romance flick, it is admittedly apparent that Kirsten Dunst and Tobey Maguire had some great chemistry and their offbeat love story on the side felt very believable. The issue that will always lurk over The Amazing Spider-Man films is that the chemistry between Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone is so great to the point they started dating in reality. Now, while that definitely helped the romantic aspect of their characters, there are points in that film where it feels like a romance, placing Spider-Man as a secondary character. Ramie’s trilogy has a nice balance of everything. Yes, I am even including the lacklustre Spider-Man 3 in this topic. Although the film is not that great, the chemistry between the cast is still present and the film does balance it’s action and romance nicely.

Garfield / Holland / Maguire

Moving Forward

So, while we make way for Tom Holland to grace us with his presence next July, let’s reflect back for a second on the best moments that were so lovingly brought to us by Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. Even though they both had their share of weak films, it is without question that they gave it their all in the roles. The character of Spider-Man is loved by many people, so when changes occur in casting, it can either be positive or stir up an outrage. This goes for any cast member in any film, Marvel or not. The amount of praise given to Tom Holland’s portrayal has been unprecedented to say the least, so let’s look forward while never forgetting the past.

There are an insane about of comics, television shows, and video games based on the character as well, but this article is just for the live-action adaptations. It is easy to forget the television shows, as they constantly change the voice actors and animation styles, but with only three actors playing the character, you’d think it would be easy to remember their films. While I love all three actors and will gladly revisit their films anytime, the average moviegoers will begin to see new trailers involving Tom Holland and say, “hey, did they replace that other guy? I like Tobey Maguire, why do they keep changing the actor?” I know this, because I have encountered a few people like that. It is the sad truth of recasting so soon in between.

Let’s do our best to remember the legends of the past.

Article By: KJ Proulx

Who Was Your Favourite Spider-Man of the Past? 1 Votes

Tobey Maguire

Andrew Garfield

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I try to see as many films as possible, in order to share my thoughts with the world. We all love movies, so let’s be honest, sometimes we just need to know if a movie is good or not before purchasing a ticket. I am just a genuine film fan giving my thoughts to the world.